The Cleveland Browns were able to satisfy their roster on cutdown day by putting Dillon Gabriel on injured reserve with a back issue that emerged coming out of the preseason finale. It allowed them to avoid the unorthodox move of keeping four quarterbacks on the 53-man list, at least for the time being.
Well, that time could be running out, as Gabriel will be eligible to be activated from IR after Week 4 is complete. He does not have to be, and he can remain there for as long as the team wants or the player needs.
But once Gabriel returns to practice, which the Browns may want, they would have a 21-day window to put him on the active roster. If they do not, he would revert to season-ending injured reserve.
With these important decisions coming up, insider Tony Grossi revealed the Browns’ likely plan for Gabriel’s return, which would not automatically lead to them moving on from one of their quarterbacks.
“My hunch is that, if they do bring [Dillon Gabriel] back to the active roster, they’ll keep four, for now. They’ll keep four quarterbacks on the roster. Wait to see how the landscape around the league changes with quarterbacks. If there’s a demand for one of them, I’m sure (general manager) Andrew Berry will listen. But I don’t think he does anything to subtract a quarterback when Gabriel’s ready,” Grossi said.
"My hunch is that they'll keep 4, for now," – @TonyGrossi on when Dillon Gabriel gets activated off of IR. pic.twitter.com/wMxTAN1bh9
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) September 30, 2026
The Browns’ plans at quarterback have already worked out differently than many people expected. Deshaun Watson is still the starter, playing well enough to keep the job after two straight comeback wins.
That leaves Shedeur Sanders as the backup, with rookie Taylen Green as the emergency QB. Sanders has taken just one snap this season, when Watson was out for a play last week, and Green has none, not even as a gadget player.
If and when Gabriel is available to play, the decision would likely come down to either him or Green as the emergency QB. Of course, that could change at any time if Watson were to get injured or lose his job to Sanders at some point.
There has been talk about the Browns trading away one of their QBs to ease this roster crunch. But as long as Cleveland remains a surprising playoff contender, the organization likely would not want to risk winding up shorthanded at the position.
This situation could change within weeks, or it could drag out to the trade deadline after Week 9, depending first on Gabriel’s health and ability to return.
NEXT: Report: Browns Willing To Make QB Trade
